Ballast-car.



y P. H. HOPKINS.

BALLAST GAR.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 18, 1912.

Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

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BALLAST OAR.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 18, 1912.

Patented Feb. '3, 1914.

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P. H.. HOPKINS.

BALLAST GAR APPLICATION FILED MAY 18, 1912. 1,086,051 Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

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UNITED STATES PATENT oFFrcn. a

FRANK HARTWELL HOPKINS, OF MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA, ASSIGNOR TO RODGER BALLAST CAR COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

BALLAST-CAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 3,1914.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK HARTWELL HorKrNs, of Montreal, Province of Quebec, Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ballast- Cars; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear. and exact description of the same.

This invention relates to ballast cars of the type adapted to have their loads discharged by the passing of a plow thereover, the invention relating more particularly to an improved form of plow guiding means and also to the combination thereof with a car presenting certain features of construction as will be hereinafter set forth; the invention having for an object the facilitating of the discharge of material from the car and the minimizing of the riskof injury to the latter, the object of the invention being more specifically to provide means whereby the plow may be guided in its passage through the car independently of side stakes or side wall members on the latter.

For further comprehension of the invention and of the objects and advantages thereof reference willbe had to the following description and appended claims, and to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification in which similar reference characters indicate the same parts and wherein;

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of one-half of a car having the invention embodied therein; Fig. 2 is a plan view of such half of the car; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of the other half of the car; Fig. 4 is a plan view thereof; Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse vertical section taken on the line 5-5 Fig. 2, Fig. 6 is a detail horizontal section taken on the line 66 Fig. 5 and illustrating particularly the guiding shoe carried by the plow, and Fig. 7 is a detail horizontal section on the line 77 Fig. 5.

My improved low guiding means is particularly adapted for COIIlblllfilllOIl with a car of the type illustrated with-a central, horizontal flooring portion 2 of less width than the distance between the car sides. This flooring is supported upon a suitable understructure which may'comprise a center sill 3 and transverse arms 4 carried thereby, the arms 4 projecting laterally beyond the sides of the flooring 2 and carrying the usual side stakes 5 at their outer ends the edges of the flooring being thus spaced inwardly from the side walls of the car. These side stakes support the swinging side wall sections 6 through the usual top rails 7 to which the sections 6 are hinged as at 8. The flooring 2 may be nailed or otherwise secured to longitudinal and transverse filler strips 9 and 10 respectively which rest upon the center sill 3 and'transverse arms 4, the transverse filler strips 10 not extending beyond the side edges of the flooring 2.

To complete thecar body bottom bet-ween the side walls and flooring 2, downwardly and outwardly slopin marginal aprons 13 and 14 are provided, the lower edges of the sections 6 engaging these aprons adjacent the outer edges of the latter. Suitable looking devices indicated at 6 which may be of any well known construction are provided to retain the swinging sections 6 in closed position. These marginal aprons 13 and 14 may be supported at their inner and outer edges upon longitudinal timbers 15 and 16, which I term nailing pieces, and which extend between adjacent ones of the transverse arms 4, the timbers 15 being supported by brackets 17 fixed to the arms 4 while the timbers 16 are supported by side sill members 18 extending underneath and riveted or otherwise secured to the outer ends of the arms 4. The timbers 15 also serve to support and brace the outer edges of the flooring 2.

In combining my improved plow guiding means with the car as above described the transverse filler strips are not extended beyond the side edges of the flooring 2 thus having unobstructed vertical runways extending from end to end of the car and the plow is provided with members projecting downwardly adjacent such runways and adapted to engage the latter to prevent lateral displacement of the plow. To reinforce these side edges of the flooring 2 and to progagement of the plow therewith upon curves, the width of the flooring 2 as will be seen decreasing toward the ends.

In combination with the car having my improved plow guioling means embodied therein as previously set forth I prefer to employ a plow of substantially equal width to, or slightly overlapping at its edges, the central flooring 2. The plow may be in the main of ordinary detail construction, the plow here shown being a center plow having a pair of mold boards 22 reinforced at the bottom by suitable angle irons 23 and braced by cross pieces 24 at proper intervals, and having the usual guiding eX- tensions 25 to which the cable is attached. To provide engaging means bet-ween the plow and the Z-bars 20 so as to cause the plow to be guided thereby, plates 26 are secured to the lower side edges of the plow (preferably to the angle irons 23 to which they may be removably attached, as by bolts 26). The plates extend downwardly adjacent the web of the Z-bar and are preferably provided on their inner faces with shoes 27 which are adapted to bear against the bars 20 to prevent lateral displacement of the plow; these shoes being removably attached to the plates 26 as by the bolts 27. These guiding shoes are spaced at intervals along the plow and also along the guiding extension as shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

With the width of the plow proportioned to that of the car as above pointed out the sides of the plow will be spaced inwardly from the car sides, thus relieving the latter of strain due both to direct contact between the plow and the sides and to material jamming therebetween, while at the same time a complete discharge of material from the car will be effected by the plow as the material will fall by gravity down the inclined aprons l3 and let when it is discharged from the flooring 2.

What I claim is as follows:

1. In a car having a horizontal flooring and marginal aprons extending downwardly and outwardly therefrom on opposite sides, plow guiding means located at the junctures of such flooring and marginal aprons.

2. In a car having a horizontal flooring presenting discharge spaces between its edges and the car sides, plow guiding means located at the edges of such horizontal flooring.

3. In a car having a horizontal flooring terminating at its side edges at points spaced inwardly from the car sides, plow guiding means located at the sides of the said horizontal flooring.

4:. In a car having a horizontal flooring terminating at its side edges at points spaced inwardly from the car sides, plow guiding means carried by the horizontal flooring.

5. In a car having a horizontal flooring terminating at its side edges at points spaced inwardly from the car sides, and means completing the car body bottom between the said edges and the said sides, plow guiding means located at the sides of the said horizontal flooring.

6. The combination with a car having a bottom and sides forming a material holding structure, of a plow supported in the car and being of substantially less width than the said material holding structure, and guiding means for such plow.

7. The combination with a car having a bottom and sides forming a material holda ing structure, of a plow supported in the car and being of substantially less width than the said material holding structure, and guiding means for such plow independent of the said sides.

8. The combination with a car having a horizontal flooring of less width than the distance between the car sides to provide gravity discharge spaces extending between the side edge of the flooring and the car side, of a plow of substantially equal width to the said flooring and supported thereby and adapted to be guided by the edges thereof.

9. In a car, a horizontal flooring, downwardly and outwardly sloping marginal aprons located at the sides thereof, and Z- bars extending longitudinally of the car at the points of meeting of such flooring and aprons and each having one flange pr0jecting inwardly over and reinforcing the edge portions of the said flooring and the other flange projecting outwardly over and reinforcing the upper edges of the said aprons.

10. In a car, a horizontal flooring, downwardly and outwardly sloping marginal aprons located at the sides thereof, an understructure supporting such flooring and aprons and comprising a center sill and transverse arms, and Z-bars extending longitudinally of the car at the points of meeting of such flooring and aprons and each having one flange projecting inwardly and reinforcing the edge portions of the said flooring and the other flange projecting out wardly over and reinforcing the upper edges of the said aprons, the last mentioned flange being secured to the upper sides of the said transverse arms.

11. A car having a horizontal flooring, an understructure including transverse arms projecting outwardly beyond such flooring and supporting side wall members, the said arms having their upper faces located below the level of the said flooring to cause the edges of the latter to present plow guideways extending unobstructed from end to end of the car, in combination with a plow having guide members projecting downwardly adjacent the edges of the said flooring, for the purpose set forth.

12. In a car provided with side walls and a horizontal flooring, plow guiding means located below the level of such flooring.

13. A car having a pair of longitudinally disposed plow guiding devices converging toward each other adjacent the ends of the car for the purpose set forth.

14. A car provided with a horizontal flooring having the edges thereoi formed to present plow guiding means, such edges converging toward each other adjacent the ends of the car.

15. A car provided with side wall members and plow guiding means independent of such side wall members, in combination witha plow having removable guiding members adapted to engage the said guiding means.

16. A car provided with side wall members, and a horizontal flooring spaced inwardly therefrom with its edges formed to present plow guiding means, in combination with a plow having removable guiding members adapted to engage the said edges.

17. The combination with a car flooring and vertical guideways located therebelow, of a plow having plates attached to the lower side edges thereof and extending downwardly therefrom, and guiding shoes secured to such plates and adapted to engage the said vertical guideways to prevent lateral displacement of the plow. 7

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Witnesses:

ALEX CURRIE, FRED J. HEART.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

